air conditioner element arrangement



Sept. 20, 1960 K. R. PARTINGTON ETAL 4 AIR CONDITIONER ELEMENTARRANGEMENT Filed Sept. 26, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 1IIII Kennefh R.Parfingfon BY Harvey C. Black Jr.

Their A fiamey p 1960 K. R. PARTINGTON ETAL 2,952,994

AIR CONDITIONER ELEMENT ARRANGEMENT Filed Sept. 26, 1957 I 4Sheets-Sheet 2 a O cu 8 N m B rE.

N m g m 8' v m I 8' lo k INVENTOR. Kennefh R. Parfingfon L: BY Harvey C.Black Jr.

Their Affamey Sept. 20, 1960 K. R. PARTINGTON ET AL 2,952,994

AIR CONDITIONER ELEMENT ARRANGEMENT Filed Sept. 26, 195% 4 Sheets-Sheet3 2L0 INVENTOR. 29 0 Kenneth R. Parfingfon Ha/rvey 6 Black Jr. ,2?!

l 289 28 s 7 The/r Affomey Sept. 20, 1960 Filed Sept. 26, 1957 K, R.PARTINGTON ET AL AIR CONDITIONER ELEMENT ARRANGEMENT 4 Sheets-Sheet 4Kennefh R. Parfington Han/ey C. Black Jr.

Their A/fomey United rates Patent AIR CONDITIONER ELENENT ARRANGENIENTKenneth R. Partington, Dayton, and Harvey C. Black, Jr., Waynesville,Ohio, assignors to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich, acorporation of Delaware Filed Sept. 26, 1957, Ser. No. 686,436

Claims. (Cl. 62-285) This invention relates to refrigerating apparatusand more particularly to ultra-thin room conditioners which may belocated entirely within the room or sunk partially between the twonormally spaced and sized studs.

It is an object of this invention to so construct the indoor coil, theoutdoor coil and motor-compressor unit and to so arrange the blowers andcontrols that a one-ton room air conditioner may be made less than 8"thick.

It is another object of this invention to so construct a room airconditioner that a substantial portion may be located between twonormally spaced and sized studs with only a minor portion projecting outinto the room.

These and other objects are attained in the forms shown in the drawingsin which the blower motors are placed partially within the blowers orfans for both the outdoor coil and the indoor coil. The outdoor coil andthe indoor coil are each of the ultra-thin wire fin type. The sealedmotor-compressor unit is made long, thin and compact so as to fit thespace immediately beneath the indoor coil and its blower. The blower forthe indoor coil is located immediately behind it and discharges througha duct extending over the indoor coil. The outdoor coil blower islocated beneath and discharges through a vertical duct behind theoutdoor coil, forcing the air to flow out through the outdoor coil. Theoutdoor coil and its blower may be located at the side of the indoorcoil and blower and motor-compressor unit or the indoor coil and blowerand motor-compressor unit may be arranged above the outdoor coil and itsblower so that the unit is narrow enough to be sunk in between standardstudding.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparentfrom the following description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, wherein preferred forms of the present invention are clearlyshown.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a front view of a room air conditioner embodying one form ofour invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken along the line 2-2of Figures 1 and 4;

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken along the line 33of Figures 1 and 4;

Figure 4 is an enlarged front View of the conditioner with the frontwall removed;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken along the line55 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a front view of the second narrow form of room conditioner;

Figure 7 is an enlarged front view, with the front wall removed, of theconditioner shown in Figure 6 taken along the line 77 of Figure 8;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken along the line8-8 of Figure 7;

Figure 9 is a wiring diagram of the control system for the second narrowform which is also applicable in greater part to the first form; and

Figure 10 is a connection chart for Figure 9.

Patented Sept. 20, 1960 "ice Referring now more particularly to Figs.1-4, there is shown a room air conditioner having the dimensions 28 x 24x 7%". It includes a room air inlet 20 on the front wall 22 and a roomair discharge 24 over the inlet 20 provided with adjustable horizontallouvers or deflectors 26. The room air inlet is provided with a thin airfilter 28 behind which is located a thin rectangular indoor coil 30 ofthe wire fin type mounted between a lower wall 32 provided with a trough34- beneath the indoor coil and an upper wall 36 spaced below the topwall 38 of the cabinet to form the discharge duct 40. Behind the indoorcoil 30 is a scroll '42 having a front inlet opening 44 directly behindthe indoor coil 30 and having an upper discharge outlet 46 discharginginto the rear of the duct 40, which extends forwardly to the discharge24. Connected to the scroll 42 is a threearmed support 48 which includesa band extending around the front of the fan motor 50. The rear of thefan motor 50 is provided with a squirrel-cage type of blower wheel orfan 52 which may have either forward curved, straight or rearward curvedblades. The air from the room is drawn through the filter 28, and theindoor coil 30 through the opening 44 around the motor 50 into theinterior of the blower wheel 52 from which it is discharged through thescroll 42 and the discharge opening 46 and the duct 40 forwardly throughthe opening 24 guided by the vanes or louvers 26.

Beneath the wall 32 is a compact sealed motor-compressor unit 54 whichis comparatively of small diameter and long along its cylindrical axiswhich is positioned horizontally. This sealed motor-compressor unit isprovided with four legs 56 which are supported on vibration absorbingsupports 58 fastened to the bottom wall 60 of the conditioner. Avertical Wall 62 divides the indoor coil and blower compartment as wellas the motor-compressor compartment beneath the wall 32 from thecompartment containing the outdoor coil 64 and its blower 66. The rearwall 68 of the conditioner has an outdoor air inlet opening 70 withinwhich is located the fan motor 72 supported by the three-armed support74 mounted upon the rear side of the blower scroll 76. The blower scrollhas an inlet opening 78 within which is located the fan motor 72. Thefan motor 72 also extends Within the blower wheel 80 which may haveeither forwardly or rearwardly directed or straight blades. The blowerscroll 76 is provided with an upward discharge opening 82 through whichthe air centrifuged by the fan 80 is discharged into the duct 84providing space at the rear of the thin wire fin outdoor coil 64 whichis positioned substantally parallel to and adjacent the rear wall 68.

However, this outdoor coil is turned slightly from a true parallelposition, as evident in Fig. 3, to provide room for the compressordischarge conduit 88 which extends from the reversing valve 90 adjacentthe threecylinder motor-compressor unit 54 alongside one vertical edgeof the outdoor coil 64. The reversing valve 90 is connected by thecompressor discharge conduit to the outlet of the motor-compressor unit54. The bottom of the outdoor coil 64 is connected by a capillaryrefrigerant expansion tube 94 to the bottom of the indoor coil 30. Thetop of the indoor coil 30 is connected by the suction conduit 96 to thereversing valve 90 and then to the compressor inlet by the suctionconduit 92. The motor-compressor unit 54 may be provided with solenoids98 and 99 each of which removes different cylinders from operation. Toprovide increased ventilation for the sealed motor-compressor unit 54,the lower rear portion of the wall 62 may be provided with a smallgrille 121 as shown in Fig. 5 located behind the blower scroll 76.

7 refrigeration. This control 125 is controlledlby the. knob.

1257, as shown in Fig. 1. There is alsoprovided be? neath the control.125 athermostatic switch 129. tion; neeted bya. capillarytube. to thethermostat. bulb 131 located in theroom air inlet20 directly below. thefilter 2 8' so as to be directly responsive to the temperature of theair being drawn from the room. The thermostat. 129 cycles therefrigerating system accordingtothe room. air. temperature. Thethermostatic control. 129 is. provided with an adjusting knob.133immediately below the knob .127. There is also provided a starting relay135. for the sealed motor-compressor unit 54 located above the control125 and a running capacitor 137 located below the reversing valve 90 forthe sealed motorcompressor unit 54.

The indoor coil 30, during normal refrigeration, conlenses moisture fromthe air flowing through it from the room and this moisture is collectedin the trough 34. formed in the wall 32. This moisture is drained'fromthe trough 34 by conduit 139 which extends into the scroll 76 of theoutdoor blower 66. The air flowing through the scroll picks up thismoisture and carries it to the warm outdoor coil 64 where it evaporatesinto. the air which 'is discharged outside the room through the opening141 in the rear wall.

Referring now more particularly to Figs.'68, there is shown an airconditioner having the dimensions of 48 x 14 x 7 /2". This size enablesit to be recessed in the wall between two standard studs spaced 16"apart.

. In effect, the general arrangement is that the rightside .of theconditioner shown in Figs. 1-5, specifically that part to the right ofthe wall 62, is placed above the. part on the left side of the wall 62.The room air inlet. 226 is located behind the upper portion of agrillework 222 which extends from the room air discharge opening 224 atthe top to the bottom of the cabinet. The room air inlet opening leadsdirectly to a thin rectangular wire finned indoor coil 226 behind whichis the indoor blower motor 228, supported by the three-armed support 230in the opening 232 of the indoor blower scroll 234 which contains ablower wheel driven by the motor 228. The scroll 234 discharges into theduct 236 above, which connects directly with the room air dischargeopening 224; This discharge opening 224 is provided with adjust ablelouvers 238 similar to the louvers 26.

Beneath the indoor coil 226 is a moisture collecting trough 240 providedwith a drain 2'42 extending downward to' the outdoor fan compartment.Directly beneath the indoor coil and fan is the sealed motor-compressorunit 244 arranged with its axis horizontally. It is supported uponrubber mountings fastened to the horizontal wall 246. The rear wall ofthe cabinet may have grillework at the rear of the sealedmotor-compressor unit 244. The entire portion of the cabinet above thewall 246 may be substantially thesame as shown in Fig. 2.

Beneath the wall 246 is the outdoor coil 248 having behind it a duct250. The duct 250 has a beveled upper wall portion 252 providing spacefor the starting capacitor 254 and the running capacitor 256 aswell asthe starting control 135 (Fig. 9). Beneath the outdoor coil 248 is theoutdoor fan motor 258 located in the open: ing 260. in the fan scroll262.. The motor is connected to the squirrel-cage type centrifugal fan264 which draws the air from outside the room through the rear inletopening 266 around the motor 258 in through the opening 260 into itsinterior and discharges, the air through the scroll 262 and the duct'250to force the air through the outdoor coil 248' and the rear outlet 268outside the room to keep the outdoor coil cool.

The condensate from the indoor coil 226 during room cooling drains intothe box-shaped container 270 shown in Figs. 7 and 8 provided with a lowdividing wall 272 adjacent one end. A discharge pipe 274 extends fromthe chamber at this end of the container 270 into the interior of thescroll 262 where the moisture will be carried by the air flowing therein.to the outdoor coil 248. The low dividing wall 272 prevents thecondensate from flowing into. the remaining portion of the container270. There is also provided a collecting trough 276 beneath the outdoorcoil 248 from which the excess is drained through the conduit 278 intothe large chamber of the container 270. This large chamber 270 isprovided with an electric heater 271 for evaporating any defrost watercollecting therein from the. outdoor coil 248 whenever defrosting isnecessary during reversed cycle heating. This evaporated moisturetravels up through the drain tube 242 to the room air circuit adjacentthe indoor coil 226 to humidity the room air. 7 7 a I The conditioner isprovided with a control 280 providingcooling or heating or fanoperation. 7 It is also provided with a combined heating and coolingthermostat 282 operated in accordance with the temperatures of the bulb283 responsive to the temperaturerof. the air drawn from the roomintcrthe indoor coil 226. There is also a third control 284 foroperating the fresh air door (notshown) to admit asupply .of freshairfrom the outdoor airvcircuit into the'indoor air circuit. The heatingand cooling thermostat .282 controls the energization of the modulatingvalve 98 to modulate the capacity of the compressor. 244. The modulatingvalve 99 is only actuated during the cooling period to-reduce thecompressor capacity. The modulating valves 98 and 99 eachdisable oneofthe cylinders of the three-cylinder compressor.

The defrosting of theoutdoor. coil 248 during room heating is controlledby thepaddle-shaped air drag mem-.

her 288 located adjacent'the inlet'opcning 260 to the fan 264 andislightly spring biased to the left'to. close the switch 289 by means of288. This paddle-shaped member 288 is normally drawn to the. right,asviewed in Fig. 8, by the. air drawn into the fan264. to .hold theair'drag switch means 289 closed to energize the reversing valve toreversed cycle position during the. operation of, therfan264.under.normalconditions when the control 280tis in the heatingposition. However, when the outdoor coil 248 becomes clogged with frost,theair flow to the fan 264-will diminish and the paddle-shaped.

air drag member 288 will move to theleft to open the.

switchv 289 to simultaneously deenergize the outdoor fan motor 258 andthevalve 90 to initiate a defrosting cycle by restoring therefrigerating system to normal operation. 'Ihis switch 289 is connectedin parallel with an outdoor coil thermostatic switch 286 which ismounted. upon the outdoor coil 248 and calibrated to be closed above F.and to reopen at 60 F.

The control 280 is provided with the connections shown. in Fig. l0-forthe four positions, heatf. .oif, fan and coo At the start of the roomheating operation, both the coil thermostat 2,86 and'the air drag switch289will be open, so that the reversing valve 90 and the outdoor. fanmotor 258 will be de'energize. j The motor compressor unit 244 will beenergized through the connection L ,-C for normal room cooling. Theindoor fan motor 228' is energized through the connection L 'F.' Thede-g frost heater 271 is energized through the connection L 'D. In theheat position the outdoor fan 258 and the reversing valve 90 are notenergizeduntil the outcycle heating system will continue until thecondenser coil 248 becomes frosted sufiiciently that the air drag uponthe paddle member 288 will diminish sufliciently that the switch 289will open. This deenergizes the reversing valve 90, causing the systemto operate as a normal refrigerating system for cooling purposes, inwhich the outdoor coil 2'48 again becomes a condenser and the indoorcoil 226 operated as an evaporator. The outdoor coil 248 will then heatrapidly and as it is heated, frost will melt therefrom and whensubstantially defrosted, will allow the outdoor coil to become heated.The coil thermostat 286 will remain open until the condenser temperaturereaches 100 F. The closing of the coil thermostat 286 will terminate thedefrosting period and reenergize the reversing valve 90 to resume thereversed cycle heating and start the outdoor fan. The defrost water willbe collected in the container 276 and flow down through the tube 278into the container 270 where the defrost water will be heated andevaporated by the heater 271. This defrost water evaporating heater 271will be cycled by the thermostatic switch 290 which is set to open at220 F. and to reclose at 150 F. The vapor will ascend through the draintube 242 into the evaporator compartment for delivery into the room aircircuit to humidify the room.

While the form of embodiment of the invention as herein disclosedconstitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other formsmight be adopted, as may come within the scope of the claims whichfollow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. An ultra thin compact rectangular air conditioner positioned betweentwo extensive closely spaced upright planes including an uprightpartition wall extending between said spaced planes, a thin evaporatorpositioned generally parallel to said planes between said planes on thefirst side of said partition wall, a first centrifugal motor blowerlocated on the first side of said partition wall between one of saidplanes and said evaporator and having its axis of rotation substantiallyperpendicular to said planes and having its impeller partiallysurrounding its motor, duct means extending on the first side of saidpartition wall between said planes connecting said blower with theadjacent face of said thin evaporator, a thin condenser operablyconnected to said evaporator located on the second side of saidpartition wall between said planes and substantially parallel to saidplanes, a second centrifugal blower located on the second side of saidpartition wall between said planes in vertical alignment with saidcondenser, duct means extending on the second side of said partitionwall between said planes connecting said second blower and one face ofsaid condenser, and a compressor located on the first side of saidpartition wall operably connected to said condenser and evaporators andlocated in vertical alignment with said evaporator and said first blowerbetween said planes.

2. An ultra thin compact rectangular air conditioner including a thinrectangular box shaped cabinet having top and bottom walls and anupright partition wall extending from the top to the bottom wall and twoextensive closely spaced parallel upright walls each having an air inletopening and an air outlet opening, one of said parallel walls having itsopenings on a first side of said partition wall and the other having itsopenings on the second side of said partition wall, a thin uprightevaporator located between said walls substantially in alignment withthe opening on the first side of said partition wall in one of saidparallel walls, duct means extending between said walls on the firstside of said partition wall connecting said evaporator and the otheropening on the first side of said partition wall in said one wall,evaporator fan means on the first side of said partition wall betweensaid walls for circulating air through said evaporator and duct meansand said openings in said one wall, the openings in the other wall beinglocated on the second side of said partition wall, a thin uprightcondenser operably connected to said evaporator located on the secondside of said partition wall between said walls substantially inalignment with one of said openings in said other wall, a centrifugalblower having its axis of rotation perpendicular to said other wall andbeing located on the second side of said partition wall between saidwalls substantially in alignment with the other of said openings, and amotor-compressor unit located on the first side of said partition wallbetween said walls operably connected to said evaporator and condenser.

3. An ultra thin air conditioner positioned between two extensiveclosely spaced upright planes including an upright partition wallbetween said planes, a thin evaporator positioned generally parallel tosaid planes between said planes on the first side of said partitionwall, a centrifugal motor blower located on the first side of saidpartition wall between one of said planes and said evaporator and havingits axis of rotation substantially perpendicular to said planes andhaving its impeller partially surrounding its motor, duct meansextending on the first side of said partition wall between said planesconnecting said blower with the adjacent face of said thin evaporator, athin condenser operably connected to said evaporator located on thesecond side of said partition wall between said planes and substantiallyparallel to said planes, a second centrifugal motor blower having itsimpeller partially surrounding its motor located on the second side ofsaid partition wall between said planes beneath said condenser, ductmeans extending on the second side of said partition wall between saidplanes connecting said second blower and one face of said condenser, anda motor-compressor unit located between said spaced planes on the firstside of said partition wall beneath said evaporator and said firstmentioned blower and being operably connected to said condenser andevaporator, a lateral partition wall above said motor-compressor unitseparating said unit from said evaporator and its blower and duct means,said upright partition wall having an opening beneath said lateralpartition wall for cooling said motor-compressor unit.

4. An ultra thin compact rectangular air conditioner including a thinrectangular box shaped cabinet having top and bottom walls and anupright partition wall extending from the top to the bottom wall and twoextensive closely spaced parallel upright walls each having an air inletopening and an air outlet opening, one of said parallel walls having itsopenings on a first side of said partition wall and the other having itsopenings on the second side of said partition wall, a thin uprightevaporator located between said walls substantially in alignment withthe opening on the first side of said partition wall in one of saidparallel walls, duct means extending between said walls on the firstside of said partition wall connecting said evaporator and the otheropening on the first side of said partition wall in said one wall,evaporator fan means on the first side of said partition wall betweensaid walls for circulating air through said evaporator and duct meansand said openings in said one wall, the openings in the other wall beinglocated on the second side of said partition wall, a thin uprightcondenser operably connected to said evaporator located on the secondside of said partition wall between said walls substantially inalignment with one of said openings in said other wall, a centrifugalblower having its axis of rotation perpendicular to said other wall andbeing located on the second side of said partition wall between saidwalls substantially in alignment with the other of said openings, amotor-compressor unit located on the first side of said partition wallbetween said walls operably connected to said evaporator and condenser,a laterally extending partition wall located above said motor-compressorunit having a trough beneath the evaporator for collecting condensedmoisture dripping from the evaporator, and conduit means extending fromsaid trough to the; interior, of:said: centrifugal blower: to dissipatethe" moisture: into the air circulated by theblower.

5;. An ultrav thin compact rectangular air; conditioner including: athin rectangular box shaped cabinet having top and bottom walls and anupright partition Wall extending-from thetopto the-bottom wall and twoextensive closely spaced parallel upright walls each havingan air: inletopening and an air outlet opening, one of said parallel, wallshaving itsopenings on a first side of said partition wall and the other havingitsopeningson the 1 second-side'of' said partition wall, a thin uprightevaporator located between saidwal-l's substantially in alignment withthe opening on the first side of'said partition wall in one of saidparallel walls, duct means extending between said walls on the-firstsid'e of said partition wall 1 connecting said evaporatorandtheotheropening on the first side of said partition-wall in said onewall, evaporator fanmeans on the-first side of said partition Wallbetween said wallsfor circulating air through said evaporatorand ductmeans and said openingsin said onewall, the-openings in the other wallbeing located on the second side of said partition wall, a thin uprightcondenser operably connected to said evaporator located on thesecondside of said partitionwall between said walls substantially'in alignmentwith one of said openings in said other walL'a centrifugalblowerhaving-its axis of rotation perpendicularto said other wall andbeing located on the. second side of said partition Wall between saidwalls substantially in'alignment with the other of said 8; openings, amotorcompressor unit located onthefirst side of saidpartition-wallbetween said Walls operably connected to said evaporator and condenser,saidcabinet having upright sidewalls, said evaporator being spaced fromthe adjacent side wall-to provide a spade forcontrols, controhmeans forsaid motor-compressor unit and saidevaporator fan means andsaidblowerlocated in-s'aid space between-said evaporator and said adjacentside wall, said-evaporator fan means including a blower scroll locatedbehindthe evaporator and control means and an impeller within the scrolland a motor located partially in and connected to the impeller.

References Cited'in the'file' of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Re.21,298 Nelson Dec. 12,1939 1,961,597 Roland June 5, 193.4 1,984,054Carraway Dec. 11, 1934 2,324,313. Meyerhans July 13,, 1943 2,726,518Brugler Dec. 13,;1955v 2,728,197 Ellenberger Dec. 27, 1955; 2,730,873Hardin--4--- Ian. '17, 1956 2,736,176 Canlton Feb; 28; 1956 2,737,787Kritzer Mar. 13, 1956 2,739,451 Breck Mar. 27; 1956 2,744,389 Raney May8, 1956 2,810,273 Bilgrei Oct. 22, 1957

